The captain

Patrice Franceschi

Writer, sailor and aviator
Honorary President of the Society of French Explorers
Captain of the three-masted schooner La Boudeuse

Patrice Franceschi definitely has several lives on the go at the same time, bringing together all the potential of an adventurous spirit in an “old-fashioned” job, that of a writer-adventurer. Of Corsican nationality and born in Toulon in December 1954, he first started travelling at three-months old in the luggage of his father, a young officer in the parachute regiment bound for Africa. That was the beginning of a long series of adventures. At young age he published his first stories and collections of poems, went on to become a pilot, diver, parachutist and professional sailor, whilst embarking on long studies in philosophy at the Sorbonne some time later. Over three decades, whilst writing and producing documentaries, he carried out dozens of ethnological expeditions on all five continents and as many humanitarian missions in most warring countries. From 1984 to 1987, he was also the first pilot to fly around the world in an ultra light aircraft. In the 1980s he also offered his support to the afghan guerrillas who were fighting against the Soviet army and was involved in many struggles for national liberation and for the rights of indigenous minorities. From 1999, he undertook long exploration missions on board his Chinese junk in South-East Asia and in the Pacific Ocean in the spirit of the journeys undertaken during the Age of Enlightenment. After having lost his boat off the coast of Malta, he bought a Swedish three-masted schooner which he transformed completely with the help of his crew and set off once again around the world for three years in search of the water people. In 2009, after receiving a “mission letter” from the Minister of Ecology and Sustainable Development, he embarked on new expeditions in South America and the Pacific islands

Main expeditions

Babinga – Pongo expedition, 1975, Pygmies of Congo
Yacumo expedition, 1976, Indian Macuje of Amazonia
Néferkara expedition, 1978, the Nile from the source to the sea
1st world tour in ultralight aeroplane, 1984-1987
Papuan raid , 1989, Papuan of New Guinea
Thylacine expedition, 1990, In search of the Tasmanian Tiger
Wapoga 1 et 2 expedition, 1994, Papuan of New Guinea
Kihiri expedition, 1994, Papuan of New Guinea
Nabuabu expedition, 1995, Papuan of New Guinea
Otavella expedition, 1996, IIndian Macuje of Amazonia
Naga expedition, 1997-1998, Burma
Campagne d’exploration de la jonque La Boudeuse, 1999-2001, Asia -Pacific
World tour of the three-masted ship La Boudeuse, 2004-2007, At the discovery of of People of water

Books

Un capitaine sans importance – roman – Robert Laffont / Pocket
L’Homme de Verdigi – roman – L’archipel poche
La dernière manche – roman – La Table ronde poche
Le chemin de la mer – nouvelles – Editions de L’Aube
Bourlinguer – poésie – Paragraphes littéraires de Paris
Aventures et voyages – poésie – Paragraphes littéraires de Paris
Au long cours – poésie – Editions St-Germain des Prés
Quatre du Congo – récit – Pocket
Terre Farouche – récit – Fernand Nathan
L’Exode Vietnamien – récit – Arthaud
Ils ont choisi la liberté – récit – Arthaud
Guerre en Afghanistan – essai politique – La Table ronde
La folle Equipée – récit – Robert Laffont / J’ai Lu
Qui a bu l’eau du Nil – récit – Robert Laffont / J’ai Lu
Raid Papou – récit – Robert Laffont
Paona – récit – (en coll avec A. Boinet et D. Lagourgue) Editions de l’Archipel
Chasseur d’Horizons – album – Filipacchi
De l’esprit d’aventure – essai – (en coll avec G.Chaliand et JC. Guilbert) Arthaud / L’Aube poche
La Boudeuse en Amazonie – album – (en coll avec N. Clérice), Glénat
La grande aventure de La Boudeuse – récit – Tome 1, Plon

Main films

La Vallée Perdue – France 3
Retour chez les Macuje – France 2
Nagaland interdit – France 3
Les 33 Sakuddeï – France 2
Sur la piste de Wallace – France 2
Les mystères de la Sungaï Baï – France 2
Au dessus des Volcans – France 2
Sous le vent de Bougainville – France 2
L’Odyssée de La Boudeuse – France 2
Le dernier voyage de La Boudeuse – France 2
On les appelle Yuhup – France 5
A l’ombre des Géants – France 5
Ces Hommes du Paradis – France 5
Ceux de Fatu Hiva – France 5
Au pays des Saa – France 5
Les bâtisseurs de la mer – France 5
L’archipel des Jarangas – France 5
Les fils de Sindbad – France 5

Humanitarian action

Head of mission for Somalia near the Minister for Health and the humanitarian action (1992-1993)
Permanent consultant near the Cabinet of the Deputy secretary to the humanitarian action and the human rights (1993-1994)
Former president of SOLIDARITES
Missions de terrain (1979-2001) : Afghanistan, Romania, Bosnia, Somalia, Sudan, Rwanda, Kurdistan, China Sea, Kampuchea, Congo, etc